Cadets in lurch as airline issues sack notices
5 Aug 2008, 0203 hrs IST, Shobha John,TNN
NEW DELHI: Aspiring pilots who feel that cadet pilot programmes of airlines are a surefire way of getting a job may need to do a rethink.
Recently, SpiceJet issued termination notices to all cadets training in the US for a Commercial Pilot's License (CPL). Those undergoing training after selection have also been given a week's notice to look elsewhere. This, after each cadet forked out a hefty Rs 25 lakh. Some even took loans to pay for the training. Admits Capt Jati Dhillon, EVP, Flight Operations, SpiceJet, "Yes, we've issued termination notices to the cadets and a week's notice to trainees. We'll try to get them positions in other airlines. Anyway, the cadets were given no guarantee that they would be absorbed."
This cadet programme by SpiceJet was started in November 2006 and suspended one-and-a-half years later. Some 120 cadets were chosen, but only six or seven have been absorbed by the airline. The airline tied up with United Aviation Training (UAT), a Gurgaon-based pilot training academy, to give them ground classes and flying training in Sabena Airline Training Centre in Arizona and in Canada.
Though cadet pilot programmes were started with the intention of churning out a regular stream of pilots for the airline, with a glut of co-pilots, many airlines have been forced to rethink. The hike in fuel prices and its subsequent impact on expansion plans added to their woes.
Sources say SpiceJet's cadet programme was ill-timed. "The company should have foreseen how many pilots it needed," says a source who didn't want to be identified. It initially had a projection of 23 planes by March 2008 which meant it needed 138 co-pilots (six per plane). But as luck would have it, it's flying only 15 planes now.
Also, why start a cadet programme when the best could have been selected from a market teeming with co-pilots, asks another source. "Anyway, the immediate needs of the airline haven't been met with this programme. On top of that, it's paying these cadets a stipend of Rs 10,500 monthly."
SpiceJet's Cadet Pilot Programme on the net clearly shows the airline's relationship with cadets. "At SpiceJet we believe in investing in our pilots...The trainee is appointed with us to obtain his CPL to seamlessly integrate into our flight operations team as a first officer on the B737."
After aptitude tests, "the successful aspirants will then undergo a final interview with SpiceJet after which they'll be appointed with SpiceJet as cadet pilots." It also says that during the training period, they will receive a stipend of Rs 10,500 from SpiceJet. If that's not a clear indication of SpiceJet’s involvement, what is?
When asked about UAT's tie-up with SpiceJet, Maj Gen I S Kahai, CEO, says, "The cadet programme is in abeyance now. I don’t know when it’ll start again.’’ Further questions, says Kahai, should be directed to SpiceJet. "A cadet programme ensures there’s a relationship between an airline and the cadet." Events proved otherwise. Kingfisher too had started a cadet programme but it was disbanded, admits its spokesman. Further questions elicited no reply.
Surprisingly, IndiGo too has started a cadet programme. "It'll begin generating graduates in 2009-summer," says Bruce Ashby, CEO. Asked if there was a job guarantee, Ashby says no. ‘‘Candidates need to successfully complete the training. After that, they're evaluated by IndiGo, and if they pass our stringent checks and tests, they become IndiGo pilots." It's obvious aspiring pilots need to think carefully before parking their money in these programmes.